The stone guardians loomed, silent and watchful as Kael and his party stared up at the ancient temple door. The towering statues of elven warriors seemed almost alive, their stoic expressions carved from ages past, standing vigilant over the secrets held within the temple. They flanked the entrance, swords drawn, a warning—or perhaps a test— for any who sought to unlock the mysteries inside.
Kael stood before the sealed door, his eyes locked onto the intricate rune puzzle etched into its surface. Each rune pulsed with latent magic, old and powerful. Sweat beaded on his forehead as his hands worked through the ancient markings, deciphering their meaning. Behind him, his companions formed a protective circle, their weapons at the ready, eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of danger. The oppressive silence of the city weighed down on them like a suffocating shroud.
The ruins around them felt empty, but a strange, unsettling feeling lingered in the air. Every breath carried the scent of decay and something far worse—the taint of corruption. It wasn't long before that corruption made itself known.
The first screech pierced the silence, echoing through the broken streets like a sharp blade cutting through the stillness. From the shadows, the creatures emerged—once-elven figures, but twisted and grotesque. Their skin was sickly blue, their eyes hollow and glowing with a malevolent light. Cracks in their flesh radiated with dark, pulsating energy, like wounds that had never healed. These elves had been consumed by something dark, something far beyond Kael's understanding.
"There!" Nyxara shouted, her fingers crackling with energy as she pointed to the creatures advancing from the ruins.
Aldric stepped forward, his shield raised. "Brace yourselves! These things aren't going to let us through without a fight!"
The corrupted elves moved unnaturally fast, their twisted forms almost gliding across the broken ground. Lireal, her sharp eyes narrowing, loosed an arrow, the shot hitting true and burying itself in the chest of the lead creature. But it didn't stop. The arrow seemed to slow it only for a moment before the elf twisted its body in an inhuman way and kept charging.
"They don't feel pain," Lireal muttered, nocking another arrow. "Not like this."
Kael's mind was racing as he tried to focus on the runes. The symbols were nearly aligned—he was so close. "I need more time," he called out, his voice strained with concentration.
"We don't have time!" Aldric shouted, blocking a swipe from one of the corrupted elves. The force of the impact sent a shockwave through his arm, and he gritted his teeth as he pushed the creature back with a powerful strike of his sword. "They're on us now!"
The corrupted elves descended in a frenzy, their claws and weapons slashing at the party with relentless aggression. Aldric held the front line, his shield clashing against their strikes, but even he was starting to feel the strain. Each blow he blocked sent a jarring pain through his body, and the weight of their numbers pressed against him like a tide threatening to break the dam.
Nyxara unleashed a wave of lightning, the arcane energy crackling through the air and striking one of the corrupted elves, sending it reeling back. But there were too many. For every one they struck down, more took their place, crawling out of the shadows with eyes full of hatred and fury.
"They're coming from everywhere!" Nyxara shouted, her voice tinged with panic as she blasted another wave of magic.
The tide of corrupted elves pressed in closer. Lireal danced between them, her arrows flying as fast as she could draw them, but even she was being overwhelmed. Aldric was taking blow after blow, his shield dented and his sword arm growing heavy.
The researchers, who had been standing back observing, were forced to defend themselves as the creatures closed in. The older man, who had been furiously scribbling notes, found himself backing away as one of the elves lashed out. He raised his arm to defend himself, but too late—the creature's claws raked across his arm, a deep gash opening in his flesh.
"Ah!" he cried out, collapsing to the ground, clutching his wound as blood poured between his fingers.
"Varon!" Aldric shouted, cleaving another creature in two before rushing to the researcher's side.
Kael's heart skipped a beat. They were losing. The corrupted elves were overwhelming them, their relentless assault threatening to consume the party. He could feel the magic of the runes beneath his fingertips, but it wasn't enough. His concentration wavered, the pressure mounting as the cries of battle filled the air.
Suddenly, Kael's fingers froze over one of the runes, and clarity hit him like a bolt of lightning. He knew what to do. With a final push, he traced the last rune in the sequence. The runes lit up with a brilliant glow, surging with power. The guardians, silent and unmoving until now, came to life.
The statues flanking the temple doors shifted. Their stone eyes glowed with an ancient energy as they raised their swords, sending out a wave of energy that radiated outward. The pulse of magic blasted through the city, a shockwave of force that slammed into the corrupted elves. The creatures shrieked, their twisted forms writhing in agony as the energy tore through them.
"Get to the temple! Now!" Kael shouted, his voice barely audible over the wails of the dying elves.
Lireal fired one last arrow before sprinting toward the doors. Nyxara followed, her hands still crackling with magic, though even she looked shaken by the battle. Aldric, still shielding the wounded Varon, hauled the researcher to his feet and dragged him toward the entrance.
Kael, his heart pounding in his chest, stepped back from the door as the statues finished their work. With a deep, rumbling groan, the massive stone doors began to creak open, revealing the dark, mysterious interior of the temple.
The corrupted elves screeched one final time before retreating into the shadows, the wave of energy having driven them back. But Kael knew they hadn't been defeated—just pushed away, for now.
"Hurry!" Aldric barked, ushering the rest of the party into the temple.
One by one, they filed through the entrance, their breaths coming in ragged gasps. The heavy doors swung shut behind them with a final thud, sealing them inside.
The silence was deafening as the party stood in the dimly lit chamber, catching their breath. Kael glanced at his companions, his eyes lingering on the wound Varon had sustained.
"We barely made it," Lireal said, her voice strained as she lowered her bow.
Kael nodded, the weight of what had just transpired settling over him. "And whatever that corruption is… it's not done with us yet."
Aldric sheathed his sword, his brow furrowed. "What were those things? They looked like elves but… twisted, broken."
Kael didn't answer right away. He didn't know the full truth, but whatever had corrupted those elves had its roots deep within the city—and possibly within the temple they now stood inside.